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“Having somebody
build a cave underground that you’re going to be spending a lot of time
in, trust is a big factor. Trusting that they’ll provide a safe
environment for you. I think Dave’s experience drilling mines gives him a
leg up on others.”
“Dave won the job
because of his mining background, his energy, and his commitment to doing
it right. Dave is a professional, he’s enthusiastic, and he’s very
responsive. I’m a big fan.”
“Working with Bacchus
has been a pleasure. I felt comfortable with David from the beginning, and
everyone I’ve met who works for him has been wonderful. I’m
impressed—they’re very talented people. They do everything right. Our cave
is relatively small, but it’s magnificent and adds a lot to the ambiance
of the property.”
“We’re not actually
collectors, but we enjoy entertaining and we wanted the convenience of
having our wine at home. When we had our first meeting with Dave and
explained what we wanted, we were afraid our job would be too small for
someone to take on. Built into the side of a hill, our house has massive
support beams anchoring it, so we also weren’t sure if our idea could even
work. Rather than just saying yes or no, Dave considered the job from
different points of views, thought about it creatively, and came up with a
brilliant solution. Using an existing door, he excavated and finished our
crawlspace into a finished cave.” “…Bacchus was the most accommodating and the most professional. I really appreciated their willingness to be there and to get the job done. It was a great partnership and a great experience for us. They led us through the process every step of the way. They kept us informed daily, communicating their progress and problems. When changes came up along the way, they made it easy for us. Our job site, which was adjacent to a crush pad construction project, was always crowded with subcontractors, employees, visitors, and the pressure of harvest. Nevertheless, Bacchus handled the job with a minimum impact on the people, site, and general environment. They were very cooperative and kept change orders to a minimum, even as we altered the scope of work. I felt a sense of teamwork with Bacchus. Their employees are solid…Despite a difficult job with difficult conditions, Bacchus actually completed our cave ahead of schedule.” --Joe and Mike Benziger, Owners, Benziger Family Winery “Working with Bacchus has been a pleasure. I felt comfortable with David from the beginning, and everyone I’ve met who works for him has been wonderful. I’m impressed—they’re very talented people. They do everything right. Our cave is relatively small, but it’s magnificent and adds a lot to the ambiance of the property.” --Private Client, St. Helena, CA
It
was Dave’s overall knowledge that impressed me. He’s an exceptionally agile
problem solver, and doesn’t side step problems or make excuses. Our cave is
in the side of a volcanic knoll, so the ground material changed very
quickly. The first 20 feet were ideal conditions and Bacchus made quick
progress, but then we ran into very, very hard, difficult conditions and
had to begin blasting instead of tunneling. In my experience, other cave
developers would have stopped the progress and said, ‘gee wiz, now we’re
going to have to blast, it’s a whole different process, here’s our new
cost structure.’ Dave didn’t look at it as a problem to be bought, he
looked at it as a problem to be solved. He came to me and said that as long
as they could continue making the same time and motion that they had been
with the drilling, then short of some of the materials needed for
blasting, the cost wouldn’t change. That made it viable for me to keep
going. The fact that he adjusted to the situation and didn’t create
an untenable position for me is the part I appreciate most.” “The cave we built completes the experience we provide here—it’s even more than the cherry on top. It’s a beautiful showpiece, our winemakers like being in the cave, and it improves the overall quality of our visitor experience with wines.” --Joe Benziger, Owner, Benziger Family Winery “We had an extraordinary schedule, and Bacchus was very flexible, and worked very, very hard to stick to our schedule and make it work, even though a lot of what they do is unpredictable. That made a huge difference to us. I give them a lot of credit for working really well in a very small, confined space, and pulling it off. Our project foreman…I can’t say enough good things about that guy. He was spectacular—really good, and very conscientious.” --Scott Rich, Project Manager, Moraga Vineyards ‘Fifty percent of our work right now is for private individuals for wine cellars, even people who only want to put in a couple of barrels,’ says David Provost of Bacchus Caves. ‘They’re affordable, and they’re a good use of land people already have.’ “Caves are no longer dim holes in the ground, and they’re not just
subterranean warehouses for wine barrels anymore…Many of these caves are
also showpieces created to entertain friends and customers, and they’re
often built on an extravagant scale, with cathedral ceilings, waterfalls,
and works of art.” |